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History of Service Learning and Community Engagement within the ÍÑ¿ã°É System:

THE GOVERNOR’S CALL TO SERVICE
In April 1999, Governor Gray Davis called for a community service requirement for all students enrolled in California’s public institutions of higher education. This was formalized in a letter to each of the leaders of the public systems of higher education on July 15,1999, calling on them to work toward the development of a community service requirement for graduation. The governor stated that the primary purposes of his initiative were to enable students to give back to their communities, to experience the satisfaction of contributing to those in need, and to strengthen an ethic of service among graduates of California universities. 

THE CSU RESPONDS TO THE GOVERNOR’S CALL
The CSU was the first segment of California’s system of higher education to respond to the governor’s call to service. The Academic Senate CSU, campus faculty senates, students, community partners, community service and service-learning coordinators, and the CSU Advisory Group on Community Service participated in months of intensive dialogues around ways to strengthen and build upon the service initiatives that have developed over decades. Through these dialogues—as stakeholders across the CSU articulated their perspectives—an overarching view became clear: the CSU endorsed Governor Davis’s interest in strengthening an ethic of service as an important part of undergraduate education. Community service, service learning, and community-based activity are longstanding traditions in the mission and purpose of the CSU, and the CSU has an ongoing interest in expanding opportunities for all students to participate in service. 

Following these deliberations, at its March 2000 meeting, the CSU Board of Trustees passed a landmark resolution on community service and service learning in the CSU.

Vision:

To foster transformative learning experiences and meaningful partnerships that inspire students to be empowered citizens, leaders, and professionals.
 
Mission:

By fostering community-engaged teaching, learning, and partnerships, the Center for Community Engagement connects students with real-world learning experiences that enrich academic learning, foster civic responsibility, and equip students with the skills and networks essential for success in a diverse and evolving world.
 
Strategic Directions:

1. Facilitate Academic Community Engagement (Community-Based Learning Courses: Community Engaged Learning, Service Learning, Internships)
2. Strengthen Partnerships and Collaborations 
3. Facilitate Co-Curricular Student Engagement 
4. Strengthen Center Operations and Capacity 

As part of the Chancellor’s Office 2018-19 California’s Call to Service Initiative, the CO identified an accountability goal to strengthen systemwide data collection infrastructure around community-engaged courses (as defined by the Chancellor's Office Center for Community Engagement). All campuses must implement two systemwide course attributes in the course management system to effectively identify and track these types of courses.The CO uses community-engaged learning (CEL) as the umbrella term to identify a broad array of courses in which community engagement is embedded, with Service Learning referring to a distinct and robust pedagogy.

There are two required course attributes in place: CSLI (service learning courses), and CCEL (curricular community-engaged learning courses). Attributes are applied to courses based on faculty response to an online survey regarding course curriculum and how community partnerships are managed. Faculty response to the survey is a required and important part of this process. 

Overall, this process will enable us to more accurately identify and support student learning experiences and faculty efforts around this work.

Please visit the Community Engagement Course Attribute page for complete information.

The ÍÑ¿ã°É Office of the Chancellor defines Off-Campus Learning as activities that are related to the academic program of the university and take place outside of the campus setting. [For more information, log in with Net ID to the .]

Community Engaged and Service Learning courses “CESL” are defined using a These are courses where student community-based hours contribute to the public good, integrate civic learning outcomes, and implement a curriculum. In Community Engaged Learning, courses vary in how much the community-based assignment is integrated into the course. In Service Learning, substantive community-based learning and related community partnerships are a highly integrated and critical component of the student learning experience.

Academic Internships are generally courses in which the community-based hours are the main (or only) component of the student learning experience. These include the 498 and 698 courses designated as the “internship” shell for departments.

These courses ("CESLI") integrate academic learning with off-campus learning experiences at partnering organizations or businesses.

For tracking purposes, courses are identified with their relevant Chancellor’s Office course attribute (CCEL, CSLI, NTRN) by the student learning experience, not course title or label. Courses may use such descriptors as: applied, capstone, clinical, community engagement, field work, internship, practicum, service learning, student teaching.

The Center for Community Engagement has been designated by the Office of Academic Affairs to support community-based learning courses. This includes maintaining policy and implementation guidelines for courses and credit-bearing options, supporting faculty, students, and partners, and vetting the appropriateness and safety of these learning experiences and the off campus learning environment.

The Committee on Instruction & Curriculum (CIC) Subcommittee on Service Learning 

The Service Learning Subcommittee of CIC reviews issues pertaining to community engagement and service learning across the curriculum and all aspects of community engagement as it pertains to University curriculum and instruction. The SL Subcommittee functions as a faculty advisory board for the CCE.

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